Oh, Bite Me!
by ddanne
Summary: Annabelle is taking over Shadow Pond for her Halloween Girls' Night. Will there be mischief? Madness? Mayhem? This is one of my Boris and Annabelle stories (AU), so. . .anything is possible!


**OK. . .I KNOW Christmas is coming up in a mere sixteen days. (And, NO, I'm NOT done decorating yet?!) But I've had this Halloween story swirling around in my head?! This is the first chapter. I borrowed some bits and pieces from "Bones To Pick"?! ENJOY!**

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**Boris and Monique both looked up when the library door opened. Udo ushered Annabelle in, and Boris, smiling, stood to greet her.**

"**Annabelle! What a pleasant surprise!"**

"**I hope I'm not interrupting; Udo said it would be all right?!"**

"**No, no, Prinzessin; your timing is perfect! Monique and I were just finalizing the details of our arrangement regarding Emma."**

"**Excellent!" Annabelle gave Boris a hug and a kiss, then turned to Monique. "So. . .when does Emma get to go home?"**

**Monique looked from Boris to Annabelle, then smiled. "Well, Boris still has to submit the winning bid at the auction!"**

**Annabelle's smile faded. "Oh, Boris. . .you must?! Emma belongs in Mongolia's Museum of Natural History, not shut away from the world in some eccentric billionaire's private collection?!"**

**Boris shrugged his shoulders. "I like my chances!"**

"**Ha! My knight in shining armour rescues yet another damsel in distress!"**

**Boris gestured to one of the white leather chairs next to Monique. "Please, sit! I was not expecting to see you today, Annabelle; what brings you here to Shadow Pond?"**

"**Ah, yes, well. . . ." Annabelle reached into her tote bag and pulled out an orange envelope, heavily decorated with gold and black glitter. "I wanted to invite Monique to my Halloween Girls' Night, and I thought I'd give her the invitation in person. Paige told me that you were meeting with Monique, so. . .here I am! And, here you are!" Annabelle handed the envelope to Monique. "I do hope you can come?!"**

"**A Halloween party?!" Monique gingerly opened the glittery envelope, and pulled out the invitation. "Oh, I've been so busy with Emma, I haven't had much time for a social life!"**

"**Well, then, you must make time! My Girls' Nights are infamous!"**

**Monique arched her eyebrows. "Infamous?! How so?!"**

"**Oh. . .where to start?! Let's see. . .well. . .the Naked Boggle Tournament of 2011 was legendary!"**

"**Annabelle?!" With an expression that could only be described as exasperated, Boris looked first at Annabelle, and then at Monique. "That DID NOT happen?!"**

**Smiling, Annabelle shook her head. "Are you SURE about that, Boris?!"**

**The look on Boris's face made Monique chuckle. "Hmmm. . .NOW, I'm intrigued! But, I won't know anybody?!"**

"**As a matter of fact, yes, you will! Divya Katdare will be there, and Paige Lawson; you know them! I don't think you know the other two women I invited; Jill Casey, and Jess Walsh?"**

**Monique shook her head. "No, I don't."**

"**Jill is the administrator at Hamptons Heritage; she and Divya are good friends. And then there's Jess! She was an investment banker in Manhattan. A few years ago, she had an epiphany; she gave up her life in the fast lane, and moved out here to the Hamptons. Now, she gives flying lessons! We are an eclectic little group, but we have the most delightful little **_soirée_**s!"**

"**So. . .other than Naked Boggle, what ELSE happens at one of your Girls' Nights?"**

"**Well. . .LOTS of eating and drinking. . .which could explain the Naked Boggle, WHICH, by the way, only happened ONCE?! We watch movies, or we play games; sometimes, I badger them into doing crafts?! OH, and we talk. . .mostly about men. . .and the more we drink, the more we talk?!"**

"**Hmph?!" **

**Monique and Annabelle both turned and looked at Boris. Annabelle chuckled; he was definitely NOT enjoying this conversation?!**

"**That's the part that makes Boris nervous!"**

**Now it was Monique's turn to chuckle. "So, I take it Boris doesn't attend your. . .**_soirée_**s?!"**

**Before Annabelle could answer, Boris interrupted. "I am sitting right here, in front of you; you realize that, do you not?!"**

**Ignoring Boris, Annabelle smiled and shook her head. "No, Boris has NEVER deigned to grace us with his presence at ANY of my Girls' Nights?! I was HOPING, since Boris is lending me his castle for our Halloween festivities this year, that he could be persuaded to put on a costume, and make an appearance?!" **

"**But?"**

**Annabelle waved her hand at Boris. "But. . .his response, AS USUAL, was. . ." **

**Boris shook his head slightly. "Thank you, no!"**

**Now it was Annabelle's turn to shake her head in frustration. "I wanted to turn Shadow Pond into a speakeasy. And we would have made a bang on Bonnie and Clyde?!"**

**Looking from Annabelle to Boris, and back to Annabelle, Monique grinned and nodded her head. "Now, THAT would have been a ripper party!"**

"**THANK you!" Annabelle pointed an accusatory finger at Boris. "I TOLD you so! We would have been the bee's knees, Boris! Ah, well. . .I'm not giving up!" She gave Monique a conspiratorial look. "MAYBE next year?!"**

**Monique glanced at her watch, and stood up. "Oh, I am so sorry; I totally lost track of the time! I still have some work to do on Emma, and I promised Russell I would stop by the hospital and bring him up to speed after our meeting." Boris and Annabelle both stood, as well. "Annabelle, about the party? Can I do anything? Can I bring anything?"**

"**No. . .and no! Boris has many, MANY minions; they've taken care of EVERYTHING! Just show up in costume; otherwise, it's off with your head!"**

**Monique shook hands with Boris, hugged Annabelle, and said her goodbyes. "Boris, I'll be in touch. Annabelle, I guess I'll see you at the party! Now, I really must go; Emma and Russell are waiting! Toodle-oo!"**

**RPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRPRP**

**Boris finished locking the papers he had been discussing with Monique in his desk drawer. "Have you had lunch yet, Prinzessin?"**

**Annabelle sighed, and slumped down in her chair. "Nooooo!" She sounded as forlorn as she looked. "I'm afraid if I eat anything more than celery sticks for the next week, I'll never fit into my costume?!"**

**Surprised, Boris shook his head. "You cannot be serious, Annabelle?! I will not have you starving yourself to fit into a silly costume?!"**

"**Hmph?! It's NOT a silly costume! And you are NOT the boss of me?!" Suddenly, Annabelle's stomach growled, rather loudly! Annabelle smiled, in spite of herself. "All right, Boris! You win; I'm FAMISHED! And wipe that smirk off your face!"**

"**I AM trying, Prinzessin, truly, I am, but. . ." Boris, still smiling, shrugged his shoulders. "Annabelle, let us not argue about this! Bitte, just stay and have lunch with me!"**

"**Well. . . ." Annabelle idly drummed her fingernails on the arm of the chair. "IF I stay and have lunch with you, will you dress up and come to my party with me? PLEASE?!"**

**Sighing, Boris shook his head. "Annabelle, we have discussed this ad nauseam; it is NOT open for further discussion!"**

"**Hmph?! How very open-minded of you, Boris?! What are you afraid of?!"**

"**Afraid? I am afraid of nothing, Annabelle!"**

"**Then WHY won't you indulge me, just this once?!"**

"**Annabelle, as I am not a 'girl', WHY would I want to attend something called a 'Girls' Night'?! Hmmm?"**

"**Oh. . .****Thhhbbbbbbbbtttt!" Annabelle sat for a moment, pensive. "Do you know what I think, Boris?"**

**Wary, Boris shook his head. "Annabelle, I seldom know what you are thinking?!" Frustrated, Boris busied himself tidying up his desk. **

"**Bloody wanker?!"**

**Boris looked up from the stack of folders he was straightening. "I am sorry; what did you say?"**

"**I said you're a bloody wanker?! AND, I think you would rather I didn't have my girls' nights, period?!"**

**Boris looked genuinely surprised. "Annabelle, that is absolutely NOT true?! I invited you to have your Girls' Night here, at Shadow Pond, did I not?!"**

"**Because you like being in control!" Boris opened his mouth to respond, but Annabelle didn't give him a chance. "You don't want me talking to my friends! That's really your problem, isn't it?!"**

**Boris shrugged his shoulders. "I do not appreciate you discussing the. . .the intimate details of our relationship with your friends, no. That does NOT mean I do not want you to entertain your friends?! I offered my HOME to you and your friends, Prinzessin! I do not know how much more supportive I can be?!"**

"**Hmph?!" Annabelle sat back in her chair, and watched Boris file some folders in one of the desk drawers. "I still think that you don't trust me, Boris?!" He started to protest, but she stopped him, raising one perfectly manicured hand. "What, exactly, do you think I'm going to do, Boris?! Start posting pictures of your tallywacker to Instagram?!"**

**Boris stopped shuffling the folders on his desk, and looked up at Annabelle, surprised, to say the least! "My. . .WHAT?! My. . .ANNABELLE?!"**

**A knock on the library door interrupted Annabelle before she could respond. Annabelle and Boris both looked up and saw Udo standing in the doorway. "The courier has arrived, sir."**

"**Danke schön, Udo. Send him in."**

**A tall, muscular man walked into the library. "Hmph?! This discussion isn't over, Boris?!" Annabelle didn't recognize the courier, but she sensed that he was one of the ex-Mossad agents that Boris liked to hire. He was wearing a dark suit, and he carried an aluminum attaché case, discretely chained to his wrist.**

**Boris stood, and the two men shook hands. They had a brief conversation, in what Annabelle assumed was Hebrew; the attaché case was exchanged, and the courier departed.**

**Boris quickly keyed in the combination to open the case. "Annabelle?"**

**Annabelle sighed, and stood up. "I know, I know, this is where you tell me I have to leave because the contents of the case are highly sensitive and 'confidential'." Annabelle made little air quotes around the word confidential. She turned to pick up her tote bag.**

"**No!" He flashed her a smile when he saw the skeptical look on her face. "On the contrary, I think you will be VERY interested in the contents of this case!"**

"**Oh?!"**

"**Ja! Come here!"**

**Curious, Annabelle moved closer to the desk. She wanted to see what was in that case!**

"**You wanted to wear my great-grandmother's tiara with your costume for Halloween, ja?"**

"**Yes!"**

**Boris lifted a black velvet pouch out of the ****attaché case, reached into the pouch, and pulled out the diamond and ruby tiara. "Here it is!" Boris stepped closer to Annabelle, gently setting the tiara on Annabelle's head. **

**Annabelle clapped her hands together. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Annabelle gave Boris a big hug, and glanced over at the attaché case. "Boris. . .what's in that box?"**

"**What box would that be, Prinzessin?!" Boris could not have looked more innocent!**

"**THAT box, Boris?!" Annabelle pointed at the black velvet jewelry box that was nestled in the bottom of the attaché case.**

"**Ah! THAT box. Yes, well. . ." Boris lifted the jewelry box out of the attaché case. "This was a suggestion from Dmitry Vasilyev and his jeweler!" **

**Annabelle crossed her arms over chest, suddenly suspicious. "Dmitry Vasilyev?!"**

"**Ja! Bitte, do not get attached, Prinzessin. The contents of this box are on LOAN?!"**

"**All right, Boris. Show me what's in the box?!"**

"**Hmmm. . .perhaps we should wait?! I wanted this to be a surprise?!"**

"**I hate surprises! Show me what's in that box, Boris!"**

"**But, Prinzessin, I thought that you loved surprises that came in jewelry boxes?!"**

"**Boris, don't make me summon my flying monkeys?! Show me what's in that bloody box!"**

"**All right, Prinzessin! Your wish is my command!" Chuckling, Boris opened the black velvet case.**

"**Ohhhhh. . .Boris!" Annabelle shifted her gaze from the jewel case, to his face, and back to the jewel case. "I. . .I. . .OHHHHH!" **

**Ha! Annabelle was undeniably speechless! Yet another favor he owed Dmitry Vasilyev?! But it was well worth it, to see the look on Annabelle's face!**

**Boris snapped the black velvet case closed, turned on his heel, and walked toward the wall safe, with Annabelle in hot pursuit!**

"**Boris. . .WAIT?!"**

"**No, I am sorry, Annabelle!"**

"**But, Boris?"**

**Boris shook his head, trying to appear stern, but not really succeeding. "Not until your party, Annabelle!" He closed the safe, locking the black velvet jewel case inside, and out of Annabelle's reach. **

"**Oh. . .bollox?!" Suddenly, Annabelle realized that she was still wearing the tiara. "Oh. . .Boris?!"**

"**Ja?"**

**Annabelle pointed to the tiara, still nestled in her red hair. "I'm assuming. . .I can wear the tiara to lunch?!"**

**Boris chuckled; he had forgotten about the tiara in his attempt to keep the jewel case away from Annabelle! "Ja, Annabelle. . .you may!"**

"**Boris. . .may I. . ."**

"**No! You must wait until your party! And you will be the most beautiful queen in the kingdom!"**

**Suddenly, Annabelle's stomach growled again, louder this time.**

**Smiling, Boris offered his arm to Annabelle. "Your majesty. . .luncheon awaits!"**

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**Comments?! Questions?! Suggestions?! MORE COMMENTS?!**


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